* Press release…

This morning, members of Personal PAC, Men4Choice and other allies of women’s reproductive health care challenged Governor Rauner for flip-flopping on his support to protect access to abortion services in Illinois while he leads a closed-door, invite-only roundtable discussion on women’s health.

Protesters urged Rauner to sign HB40 legislation that would ensure abortion remains legal in Illinois even if the Supreme Court were to overturn Roe v. Wade. The bill also would ensure that Medicaid and state employees’ health insurance policies provide coverage for abortion care.

“When it comes to HB40, Illinoisans have not forgotten what Rauner promised voters on the campaign trail,” said Terry Cosgrove, President and CEO of Personal PAC. “Hosting a closed-door roundtable discussion lets Rauner give the impression he is listening to constituents’ viewpoints, but how closely is he actually listening if he is willing to turn around and veto life-saving legislation that he once promised to support?”

Rauner has vowed to veto HB40 despite promising to support such legislation on Personal PAC’s candidate survey during his 2014 campaign: “My highest priority in this area will be to ensure effective administration of the laws regarding access to contraception and provide that access regardless of income. I dislike the Illinois law that restricts abortion coverage under the state Medicaid plan and state employees’ health insurance because I believe it unfairly restricts access based on income. I would support a legislative effort to reverse that law.”

In August, Personal PAC and Men4Choice launched the “Call BS” campaign designed to engage men to call out anti-choice politicians and policies. The campaign employs creative content to depict an alternate reality in which male reproductive health is under attack, posing the question: “Men don’t have to put up with this BS – why should women?” In addition to social media engagement strategies, the campaign is organizing men to attend phone banks, canvass for women’s health issues and help raise funds for pro-choice candidates.

“Governor Rauner promised the voters of Illinois during the 2014 campaign that he would protect women’s access to reproductive health care services, including abortion; now it’s become politically expedient for him to do an about face on that promise, which is BS and we’re calling him out on that today,” said Oren Jacobson, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Men4Choice.

Each year, thousands of women travel to Illinois to access safe reproductive health care unavailable in their home state. Even so, 92 percent of Illinois counties do not have abortion providers.

* JB Pritzker also arrived at the Thompson Center today…